Cradle box



April 22, 1941. G. LOTH 2,239,365

CRADLE BOX Filed Jan. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

April 22, 1941. o 2,239,365

CRADLE Box Filed Jan. 20, 1940' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 i 72 INVENTOR.

GAYLORD LOTH.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 2 2, 1941 2,239,365 CRADLE Box Gaylord Loth, Sandusky,Ohio, assignor to The Hinde & Dauch Paper Company,v Sandusky,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 7 Application January 20, 1940, Serial No.314,835

5 Claims.

The "purpose of the present invention is to provide a box which can beset up as doll furniture after it has served its purpose as a container.Specifically the box in question is designed as packing box for a doll,but is so arranged that the parts can be put into altered positionsafter the box is opened, and can then serve either as a toy cradle withrockers, or can be inverted and have the appearance of a childs crib orbed, thus making an attractive article of furniture in which a child caneither cradle and rock the doll or put it in a stationary bed.

A preferred form of the invention is described and is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it beingunderstood that variations thereon may beresorted to within the scope of the invention, such scope being set outin the claims hereto annexed. In the accompanying drawings, wherein thepreferred form is shown set up for both its purposes.

Fig. 1 is a view of the blank, dotted lines thereon indicating creaseswhich establish lines of fold for subsequent operations either ofclosing or of setting the box up as a cradle or as a bed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the box set up as a container, parts beingbroken away to show the interior construction Fig. 3 is a perspective ofthe box set up as a toy bed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on plane 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on plane 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal median vertical section v on plane 6--6 of Fig.2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the box set up as a cradle;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section on plane 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical section on plane 99 of Fig. 7.

The box comprises sides I, 2 and ends 3, 4, all of which are mostconveniently arranged in succession lengthwise of a unitary blank, Fig.1, separated from one another and from various other panels by creasesfor folding lines, dotted on that figure. When closed into a four sidedstructure, the free ends of 2 and 3 may be connected by a tape 5 orotherwise, as customary in the trade.

The cover is foldably connected to the upper edge of the side I, thiscover being divided by a crease A into a panel 6, about as wide as theheight of side I, and a narrow panel I which has a tuck 8 along itsouter edge. Similar panels 9 and 9', separated by crease A, and thelatter having a tuck III, are foldably connected to the opposite side 2.Each of the ends 3, 4 hasopposite tabs II, I2. and I3, I4, respectively,defined by fold lines. The tabs I3 and I4 are notched as at l5 and I 6to leave extensions in the similitudeof either posts or legs, so as togive the box a realistic appearance when set up as a 1 toy bed, Fig. 3or toy cradle, Fig. 7; other shapes may of course-be used. The tabs IIand I2 are out. to curves so as to make cradle'rockers or ornamentalheadboard and footboard tops, as the case may be.

To use as a container, the tabs I3 and I4 are inturned as shown, in Fig.2, the panel 9 is brought under as a bottom and the tuck III insertedinside the. side wall I and between ends -3 and 4, through the clearancewhich is left by cutting short the tabs I3 and I4 at I1 and I8 wherethey join the ends 3 and 4 respectively,

such clearance being just sufficient for the thickness of the materialof the tuck I0 and thus giving a snug binding fit when the container isclosed. When closed, the tabs II and I2 of the ends are likewiseinturned to underlie the cover 6-1. These tabs are likewise cut offslightly along one edge as at I9 and 20, to give a snug binding fit tothe tuck 8. The above description will be reversed if the box is to beset upwith panel 6 as the bottom.

To set the container up as a toy bed, the tabs II, I3 and I2, I4 of theends 3 and 4 are raised into extension with those ends, and the lid 6 isturned down and in against side I. Since the box, for the sake of havingthe corners square, is preferably made with the corrugations running upand down, any tendency of the tabs to fall can be corrected by placinga. piece of wire 20 or a pin through one of the corrugation channels.

To set up as a cradle the box is inverted, panel 6-! left closed as abottom, panel 9 turned down inward against side 2 as in Fig. 8. The tabsII and I2 stand down and thus form rockers, while the tabs I3 and I4stand up as head and foot ornaments for the cradle. In this way the boxresembles either a childs crib or cradle, as the case may be, and can beused as a piece of doll furniture. The lid 6-! can also be closed withthe end tabs II, I2 and I3, I4 up, thus giving the appearance of anadults bed rather than a child's bed or crib.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have invented a multiplepurpose container which may be kept and used as toy furniture after ithas served its purpose as a container. Surface ornamentation, orornamental edge shapes which do not interfere with mechanical functions,can be used as may be desired to add to the attractive appearance. Theinvention having been described and illustrated in a preferredembodiment, it is noted that it is susceptible of modifications withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A blank adapted to be made into a container, said blank comprisingfour panels successively foldably connected in longitudinal extensionadapted to form two ends and two sides, a bottom foldably connected toan edge of a side, a top foldably connected to the opposite edge of theother side, and a fold line in said top parallel to the connecting edgelaterally spaced there.- from a distance equal to the width of saidside, ornamental tabs foldably connected to the. top of each end, and tothe bottom of each end, respectively.

2. A container comprising in combination two sides, two ends, lidsconnected to said sides, and tabs on said ends, said tabs being adaptedto be folded under said lids as inner folding members or tobe turnedinto the planes of their respective ends, and thereby form bottomsupports and top ornamental extensions for said ends above the level ofthe sides of the box, one of said lids being divided lengthwise intopanels adapted selectively either to extend across the box top andthereby act as a lid or to be dropped into the box against one side andthe bottom.

3. A containercomprising in combination ltWD 7 sides, twoends, lidsconnected each toan edge of placed in prolongation thereof, said :bottomtabs 40 having curved edges adapted to act as rockers when in suchprolonged position.

4. A container comprising in combination two sides, two ends, lidsconnected each to an edge of one of said sides, tabs connected to thetop and bottom respectively of each of said ends and adapted to beplaced in prolongation thereof, the edge of each of said bottom tabsbeing convex whereby when said container rests thereon they form rockersand when said container is inverted from the cradle position theysimulate the tops of the ends of a bedstead, the edges of said top tabsbeing shaped to include projections at their extremities, whichprojections constitute ornaments simulating upstanding posts when thecontainer rests on its rockers and constituting feet when the containeris inverted from the "cradle position, said container being made ofcorrugated board with corrugations running vertically in said endportions and continuously through each said end portion and its tabs,thereable inward against it and another panel equal to the difierencebetween the width of said firstnamed panel and the container width, anda tuck on the outer edge of said second-named panel, whereby said lidmay be selectively closed across the top of said container or foldedinside against one side and the bottom thereof; and tabs on the upperand lower edges of each end, adapted to .be set out in extension aboveand below their respective ends when said lid is folded inwardly.

GAYLoaD LO'IH.

